As a rule, circular knitting machines comprise system component supports in the form of a knitting cylinder and a rib dial that are to be equipped with system components which, together, form a set of stitch-forming system components that is also referred to as a tool set. A tool set may comprise, for example, a machine knitting needle and a sinker. Technicians who concern themselves with the component placement and, optionally, the set-up of a knitting machine obtain an adequate number of system components of the tool set in preparation for their work, place such system components within reach and insert them in the appropriate slits of the knitting cylinder or the rib dial. In the case of large circular knitting machines, the knitting cylinder may have more than 5,000 needle channels. The same is true of rib dials or of a sinker support ring.
In the case of circular knitting machines that are designed for knitting patterns, the tool sets include additional system components which are referred to as selection components, for example. Depending on the pattern and on the position of the machine knitting needle in the needle bed, the selection components may have feet at different locations. Selection components having different foot positions must be installed in the pre-specified sequence in the system component support, which requires considerable attention on the part of a technician.
A wrongly equipped knitting machine cannot be started up. Therefore, equipping must be done with extreme care, thus representing a time-consuming process.
It is the object of the invention to reduce the time required for setting up and equipping the knitting machine.